MLB 2008 Post Season Catch-All

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Home of the World Champion San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warriors!

Yes, it's technically started with the World Champion Red Sox winning in extra innings over the A's in Tokyo. So, after one more, both teams return to the states for...exhibition games? Say wha? Shouldn't they just get the rest of the week off until the actual opening day for the rest of the league on Monday? Those two teams are going to be really screwed up for a while. I'll be posting my predictions for the season closer to next week.

"Men like sex, thus boobies! Oogaba!" - dejanzie

"Butt hat is my opinion and we all know how far that goes around here." - Demonicmaster

I was able to watch the first couple innings or so. Even tho' Daisuke has been in many high stress situations and handled them well, I think this particular time it was a bit overwhelming, together with the trip. If the rest of the team had some jet lag and little sleep, imagine what he had with the press and such all over him in a major way. He couldn't get a breaking ball over (and I mean not even(!) close) to save his life. So they were sitting all over his fastball. Luckily his change-up was working well. He must of did better by the score you mentioned, or a reliever came in shortly (he had thrown about 35 pitches in just the first couple of innings)(btw, , might want to 'spoiler' the score, for ESPN is telecasting game later in the day and it may spoil it for someone).

Again, another safe and easy pick. The Indians had a good run last year and may in fact be the AL's representative in the World Series if they can get over blowing last year's 3-1 lead in the ALCS to Boston.

Look for this division to be the most hotly contested in the AL. My pick totally depends on whether or not Ichiro can maintain the level of performance he had during the rest of his career. Also look for the Angels to slip into the playoffs as the wildcard.

I know its en vogue to give the Mets the edge, but I don't see Johan Santana really making that much of an impact in the Mets rotation. He'll be lucky if he doesn't become this year's version of Barry Zito. The Phillies, meanwhile, have a lot going for them and every reason to think they'll take this division a lot sooner than they did last season.

On the other hand, the Cubs are the en vogue pick for the Central and with good reason. They did it last year and have reloaded again for this year. Prince Fielder's production won't be enough to push the Brew Crew into the post season and look for Dusty Baker's Reds squad to make a run, but also look for the Cards to start to diminish this year.

The NL West is even more wild than their AL counterpart. Every team save the Giants will have a shot at the top, but I believe Dan Haren gives them more of an edge than the other teams. Don't be surprised if there's at least one-game playoff between two of these teams at the end of the season. As for my beloved Giants, they'll be fighting the Marlins and the Pirates for the NL's goat award; Zito's woes from last season will continue and the best San Francisco could come up with to replace Barry Bonds' production is Aaron Rowand. It'll be a long and woeful baseball season for the Bay Area, perhaps even worse than the previous football season.

"Men like sex, thus boobies! Oogaba!" - dejanzie

"Butt hat is my opinion and we all know how far that goes around here." - Demonicmaster

Home of the World Champion San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warriors!

Eric Gagne, now of the Brewers, blows yet another save by giving up a three-run homer to the Cubs in the bottom of the ninth, tying the game. Again, why couldn't he have been this bad when he was pitching for the Dodgers?

"Men like sex, thus boobies! Oogaba!" - dejanzie

"Butt hat is my opinion and we all know how far that goes around here." - Demonicmaster

Eric Gagne, now of the Brewers, blows yet another save by giving up a three-run homer to the Cubs in the bottom of the ninth, tying the game. Again, why couldn't he have been this bad when he was pitching for the Dodgers?

That guy is the frikkin' anti-Christ, I said it the whole second half last year. He almost killed me when he let Cleveland take away a win in the ALCS. I am SO glad Theo let him go!

The Big Hurt is coming back to Oakland, which is good news. I hope the A's can keep it up and do not fold anytime soon.

Well he got his first hit as a Athletic (single). But he's still something like 1 for 27. Mariner's had another 'surprising' loss when Hernandes, pitching a heck of a game, lost it in the top of the 8th. So a 2-0 game in 7 innings evaporated to 4-2, Oakland. And again(!), the Mariner's could not get their bats going. Some changes are definitely due from our slugging AAA affliate, the Tacoma Raniers and to clear out some folks that aren't doing the job. And as much as I like Kenji Johjima, many folks are scratching their heads at the 24 million, 3 yr. extension of his contract with the catcher position so deep (one of those who really is due is batting .439 something with the Raniers, while early, Kenji is at .189)

Well Trashi', I guess those sacrifices to the baseball gawds in the early morning mist worked...for a night anyway (still way too many LOB's tho').:>) Clement and Balentien are making folks nervious, hopefully in a good way. We'll have a test tonight against a 4-0 pitcher (and the chilly Cleveland air...at least no snow this year!)

Oh, btw, good news it seems both McLaren and Bavisi(GM) are pretty much saying the same thing about bringing up Clement and Balentien to not only hit but to play. Here's one blurb:

The headline says it all. Brad Wilkerson and Greg Norton have been designated for assignment, while Jeff Clement and Wladimir Balentien have been recalled from Class AAA Tacoma. Both will be in-uniform for tonight's game. They aren't here yet. The Mariners aren't talking yet, other than to announce the move. We spoke at great length this morning about how the team could not continue to give away power in both the right field and DH spots.

The team obviously reached the same conclusion. Jose Vidro stays, as to be expected, because he still serves a useful purpose as a switch hitter off the bench if he fails to hold on to his DH job full-time. Wilkerson is not as useful and his defense wasn't good enough to justify keeping him around.

Norton leaving is a surprise. He was hitting .438 and also serves a useful role as a guy who can play first base, not to mention the outfield. He's sort of like Vidro, a switch-hitter off the bench. Only difference is, he's hitting and Vidro isn't. Interesting decision. It comes down to the team wanting to keep two speed clones -- Willie Bloomquist and Miguel Cairo -- over two switch-hitting pinch-hit clones, Jose Vidro and Greg Norton. That is, clones when they're hitting the way they should. Vidro isn't.

"I guess it was a surprise,'' Norton said moments ago as he sat by his locker. "But it's part of the business. Salaries, the people who have been here. Everything's involved in the decisions that are made.''

The lineups just got posted. Balentien is starting in right field and batting seventh. Vidro is hitting fifth and still starting at DH. After all, have two doubles last night and he hits lefties, which the M's face tonight in Cliff Lee. I'd expected to see Vidro in there again. Clement is not in the lineup, but will, obviously, be available off the bench.

As for the DFA rules, the team now has 10 days to trade, release, or outright Wilkerson and Norton to the minors. As veterans, they can refuse the assignment and become free agents.

Norton plans to return home, spend time with his wife and see if there are any major league jobs out there for him. If not, he'll cross that bridge. So, for now, he doesn't know whether he'll accept or decline his assignment.

"Everything's up in the air,'' he said. "I still love the game. I still think I can play.''

He's hurting inside, obviously. But he kept his sense of humor. He mentioned following the rumor mill the last few days when it came to Balentien and Clement being promoted, though he never expected to be a casualty.

"Along with all that talk, it also said my playing time was going to increase as well,'' he said of the rumor mill. "So, I guess you (media) guys are lying, because it definitely decreased today.''

The Big Hurt is coming back to Oakland, which is good news. I hope the A's can keep it up and do not fold anytime soon.

Well he got his first hit as a Athletic (single). But he's still something like 1 for 27. Mariner's had another 'surprising' loss when Hernandes, pitching a heck of a game, lost it in the top of the 8th. So a 2-0 game in 7 innings evaporated to 4-2, Oakland. And again(!), the Mariner's could not get their bats going. Some changes are definitely due from our slugging AAA affliate, the Tacoma Raniers and to clear out some folks that aren't doing the job. And as much as I like Kenji Johjima, many folks are scratching their heads at the 24 million, 3 yr. extension of his contract with the catcher position so deep (one of those who really is due is batting .439 something with the Raniers, while early, Kenji is at .189)

Yes, that was sickening to watch. I suspect the M's got word from Japan that they need to sign Kenji. It also tells me they have given up on Clement as a catcher or are going to trade him.

Here's to hoping they cut their losses and DFA Wilkerson and Sexton and put Vidro on the bench. Clement is ready to hit in the show and it should be easy to pick up a replacement-level LF so they can put Ibanez in RF to minimize his poor defensive impact.

Problem is, none of this is likely to happen because them M's organization has proven over and over that will stubbornly stick to bad decisions until it is too late.